


finally facing my Waterloo

by TAHC (orphan_account)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Humor, Jihoon is my fav in this, M/M, Mild Language, Multi, Pining, Slice of Life, wait...maybe it's Lucy the cat, wait...no Mingyu is...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7040284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/TAHC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seungcheol thinks about the possibility that he might not only have feelings for his boyfriend, but his boyfriend’s best friend as well. </p><p>He then comes to one conclusion. </p><p>He is fucked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	finally facing my Waterloo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GoldenBeaux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenBeaux/gifts).



> This is for GoldenBeaux, who not only encouraged me to write this fic, but also beta'd it for me!! Thank you so much for your friendship! I love you soul sister! 
> 
> My first fic for the Seventeen fandom! Enjoy~

_I was defeated, you won the war,_

 

_Promise to love you for ever more,_

 

_Couldn't escape if I wanted to,_

 

_Knowing my fate is to be with you_

 

☀

 

Seungcheol is used to noise. A lot of noise. 

 

He runs a classroom of eighteen second graders, noise is part of the job. His entire work day from four a.m. to four p.m. is chalked full of racket. If there isn’t a nine-year-old shrieking in his ear or sneakers squeaking on the linoleum flooring or the sound of pages rustling and pencils scribbling down last minute attempts at the assigned homework, he worries.

 

So right now, as he sits on what Jeonghan calls his “expensive” couch (he _literally_ watched him pick it out at a garage sale, he was right _there_ , he had been his ride), Seungcheol is having a mini panic attack. 

 

There is no noise. He left his phone on the bathroom counter and that had been hours ago, the T.V. remote is too far away from him, the radio non-existent in Jeonghan’s apartment (“It’s _tacky_ , Cheollie.”), and the cat Seungcheol had finally managed to coax into his lap fled during his nap. 

 

His head is fuzzy (a side effect of the pain medication) and his leg is throbbing so hard that it feels like it has its own pulse. The glass of water Jeonghan had left him this morning has been empty for the last four hours and his throat is begging for a drink, but that requires getting up. And getting up requires assistance. And “assistance” number one and number two are both gone at work and “assistance” number three is missing and probably unable to bear his weight (he thinks he sees the flick of the cat’s tail over by Jeonghan’s bedroom door). 

 

His crutches sit too far away from the couch and Seungcheol begins to think that maybe Jeonghan isn’t the most competent caretaker after all. 

 

Seungcheol had moved into Jeonghan’s apartment the afternoon of his ACL surgery about a week ago. He had torn the damn ligament skiing with Mingyu almost a month ago and only after constant nagging from Jeonghan he had _finally_ gone into the hospital. The intended quick in-and-out visit ended up lasting five hours and required at least four more visits to level five of the building for X-rays, pre-surgery check ups, the surgery, and then the post-operation check up. 

 

Jeonghan had driven him to the surgery center, waited there for the three hours it took for him to wake up from the anesthesia, and drove him back to his place to care for him during the recovery period. 

 

And Seungcheol is thankful. Incredibly thankful. He doesn’t know what kind of hero he must’ve been in his previous life to deserve a boyfriend like Jeonghan but he must have pleased Whoever is in charge of the universe. 

 

But despite all that, Seungcheol is beginning to see Jeonghan’s flaws that their separate living situations had protected him from witnessing before. 

 

Jeonghan is pretty sloppy. Seungcheol can’t remember seeing Jeonghan ever putting a dish in the dishwasher, he’s never seen him put away whatever snack he’s pulled out, and he’s pretty certain Jeonghan isn’t aware that they own a washing machine. So thank god for Joshua Hong. 

 

Seungcheol has “known” Joshua just as long as he’s known Jeonghan. The pair had been roommates in college and continued the trend into adulthood. Joshua is Jeonghan’s better half Seungcheol supposes. He cleans up after Jeonghan (and now Seungcheol), he puts together the grocery list, he folds the laundry, he cooks most of the meals, and he even pitches in and takes care of Seungcheol too (despite Seungcheol’s earnest protests). 

 

For the past week or so Joshua has been giving it his best to make Seungcheol feel as comfortable in their apartment as possible and it’s been…doing something to Seungcheol’s heart. 

 

Joshua works weird hours, but he’s still back before Jeonghan in the evenings (he goes to work _early_ in the morning while Jeonghan doesn’t have to leave until noon). So when Seungcheol hears the click of a key and the rattling of the front door he knows he’s saved. 

 

It’s not unusual for Joshua to return to the apartment looking completely exhausted. In fact, it would be out of the ordinary if he didn’t come back with his hair in disarray, a mysterious liquid spilled on his top, and droopy eyelids. He works as an ER nurse at a nearby hospital and probably experiences way more noise than Seungcheol does in a day. 

 

“Hey Seungcheol.” He hangs his bag on the according notch and sends Seungcheol a tired but genuine smile before walking over to him, hands in his pockets. It was a usual pose for Joshua Seungcheol had noticed over time. Joshua almost always is hiding his hands, he keeps his body small, and tries his best to occupy the smallest amount of space as possible. 

 

“How are you feeling?” He asks softly. That’s another thing Seungcheol has noticed. Joshua is soft. Very soft. Jeonghan is dramatic and commands attention, his friend Mingyu is usually in some kind of hysteric about something or another, even Jihoon has a harshness to him. But Seungcheol can’t recall a time where Joshua rose his voice, even in joy. He’s prim and polite and usually only speaks when spoken to and it’s a damn shame. 

 

“Uhh I’m good, how was your day?” Seungcheol does his best to reposition himself so that he doesn't look like a lumpy side of mashed potatoes in front of Joshua, but hisses when he jars his leg. 

 

“Dude, lay back down.” Joshua smiles, picking up Seungcheol’s empty cup and taking it to the kitchen. Seungcheol hears the flick on the tap and the unmistakable sound of water filling a glass before the cup is presented in front of his face. He takes the glass with two hands and greedily gulps it dry before looking up at Joshua a bit sheepishly. Joshua only continues to smile.

 

“Can I get you anything else?” He runs a hand through his hair and Seungcheol’s eye catch the glint of the silver band he has around his pinkie. The same one that’s on Jeonghan’s pinkie. Friendship bands or something. Seungcheol thinks it’s cute. Jeonghan has mentioned Seungcheol getting one for himself so that all three of them can match, but Seungcheol doesn’t want to step on Joshua’s toes so he politely declined even when his pinky itched for it’s own ring. 

 

“Nah, I’m fine. Thanks for the water,” Seungcheol replies sweetly, putting on his most earnest smile. 

 

“Dude, you’ve been home alone for six hours, you’re probably starving. And I _know_ it’s time for another pill,” Joshua raises an unimpressed eyebrow before slinking off into the kitchen to pull out whatever is leftover out of the refrigerator and stick it into the microwave. 

 

In the time that it takes for the cat to come out of its hiding place in Jeonghan’s bedroom and inefficiently nestle itself between Joshua’s legs, Joshua has procured a reheated bowl of cheesy kimbap. He hands the bowl to Seungcheol and puts another full glass of water on the coffee table next to him (with no fewer than four pills resting next to the glass). 

 

Joshua fixes his own bowl and makes his way to sit alone at the kitchen island. Seungcheol’s heart twists violently inside his chest and he calls out before he can stop himself.

 

“Hey Josh you could…you could sit by me?” It sounds pathetic even to Seungcheol’s own ears. He sounds whiney and lonely (which he was, but still). 

 

But Joshua just grins (because of course he does) and comes over to sit at the foot of the couch. He tucks himself into the corner, between the armrest and the pillow Seungcheol has his leg propped up on. It probably isn’t very comfortable but Joshua doesn’t complain and just focuses on stuffing his face full of the kimbap. 

 

Seungcheol tries not to make it too obvious that he’s staring at Joshua’s profile, but he doesn’t know how well he accomplishes that. The first thing Seungcheol had ever noticed about Joshua was that he was pretty. Like _really_ pretty. He has the most gorgeous eyes Seungcheol has ever seen on a human and he had felt his stomach react to the realization violently when he compared them to Jeonghan’s. They are curved prettily and framed with thick lashes. His nose is straight and pointy and his lips are full and usually curled up on the ends as if he is seeing the humor in every situation. 

 

“How’s the leg?” Joshua asks once his bowl is on its way to being empty. Seungcheol startles and begins to attack his own neglected plate of food. 

 

“Uhh, it’s better. I’ll be out of your hair soon.” 

 

Joshua snorts prettily (he does everything prettily). “Dude don’t even say that. I’m happy to have you here. You’re good company when Jeonghan is gone.” 

 

Seungcheol feels his face heat up so he hides it behind his chopsticks. “Oh. Thanks.” 

 

“It’s cool that we get to hang out now. You haven’t really been over a ton since you and Jeonghan started dating.” Joshua licks some of the sauce off of his top lip in a quick, dainty swipe of the tongue and Seungcheol definitely doesn’t notice it. Or commit it to memory. 

 

“Oh I never really wanted to intrude on you or anything…” 

 

Joshua nudges Seungcheol’s (good) leg gently with his elbow, careful not to drop the portion of food captured in his chopsticks. “You wouldn’t be intruding! I like you. You’re easy to talk to and you don’t judge my taste in music or fashion like Jeonghan does.” 

 

Seungcheol barks out a laugh. “Christ, he does that to you too?” 

 

Joshua rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “All the time.” He smirks into his bowl as if shy, “It’s nice to talk about him with someone too. Don’t get me wrong he’s—”

 

“Amazing,” Seungcheol supplies. 

 

“Yeah, but he’s also—”

 

“A brat.”

 

Joshua laughs, “Yeah. Exactly.” 

 

“You two aren’t exactly the best roommates either ya know!” Jeonghan says, slamming the apartment door open, keys dangling on his forefinger.

 

Seungcheol chokes on his kimbap. “You could hear us?” 

 

“Thin walls babe,” Jeonghan replies, dropping his jacket to the floor before grabbing Joshua’s bowl from his hands and finishing the rest of his meal. 

 

Seungcheol doesn’t know why the words make him blush. Or look apologetically over at Joshua. Nope. He has no idea what prompted the reaction. 

 

“How was work?” Jeonghan calls to Joshua when his roommate retires to the kitchen, taking Seungcheol’s empty glass with him. 

 

“Fine. Did you get the spread done for Yoona today?” Seungcheol hears him putting dishes away.

 

“Yeah. Bitch made me work through my lunch,” Jeonghan replies sourly, “I’m starving.” He sends Seungcheol a pout and coos happily when Seungcheol opens up his arms to accept Jeonghan’s weight on top of him. He snuggles on top of Seungcheol, mindful of his leg and presses a kiss to his jawline. 

 

“You had muffin crumbs on your sweater,” Joshua replies deadpan. 

 

Seungcheol chuckles and ignores the glare Jeonghan sends him (but he isn’t able to dodge the flick to the forehead however).  

 

“You’re lucky you’re pretty,” Jeonghan hisses. 

 

Seungcheol laughs out loud again. “The same could be said for you!” 

 

Jeonghan rolls his eyes, “This isn’t news. Fine, we’re both pretty. ‘Shua too.” 

 

Seungcheol freezes and he knows Jeonghan notices because his boyfriend sends him a curious look. 

 

“Don’t you think so?” 

 

The noise in the kitchen ceases. 

 

“Yeah…yeah. Joshua’s pretty too,” Seungcheol concedes. He does his best to school his facial expression into one of indifference but can feel himself blushing.

 

“Then it’s settled. We’re all pretty! Let’s all date each other,” Jeonghan pushes himself off of Seungcheol’s chest, “Now where is that damn cat?” He skitters out of the living room and into his bedroom calling for the shared pet. 

 

It takes Seungcheol a moment to realize that he isn’t breathing. _Let’s all date each other._ Jeonghan says the strangest things. 

 

“I’m gonna get in the shower, is there anything I can get you before I go?” Joshua asks from over Seungcheol’s shoulder. 

 

“Oh uhhh I don’t think so?” 

 

Joshua laughs (and Seungcheol tries not to moan). “Okay then, see you in a bit.” 

 

It isn’t until Seungcheol is thoroughly kicking himself for forgetting to ask Joshua for his phone that he realizes that it’s been set on the corner of the coffee table where Seungcheol could easily reach over and grab it. It’s also next to the T.V. remote and a full glass of water. 

 

Joshua isn’t making it easy for Seungcheol to not fall in love with him. 

 

☀

 

“Babe, you’re thinking too loud.” Jeonghan flaps a sleepy hand in front of Seungcheol’s face as if waving away a pesky fly. The tip of his fingers brush against Seungcheol’s nose, but he doesn’t mind. Jeonghan’s personal space is pretty lacking anyways, and during the a.m. it’s non-existent. 

 

It’s five in the morning and Seungcheol hears Joshua leave quietly through the front door after puttering around in the kitchen for twenty minutes. He knows (like he _knows_ that the sky is blue, that puppies are cute, that he loves Jeonghan) that Joshua has set the coffee pot to brew Jeonghan’s morning coffee, that he has made not only Jeonghan’s lunch for the day, but something for Seungcheol to eat later, that he has left no fewer than six notes behind for them (“have a good day!” “Jeonghan, don’t eat this, it’s for Seungcheol.” “Jeonghan, _don’t eat this_ , it’s for Lucy.” “Jeonghan, you can eat this!”…). 

 

The thing about Joshua is that he’s pretty predictable. Oh…wait…Maybe it’s because Seungcheol is well studied in the art of Joshua. 

 

He wakes up (like clockwork, like he has for the past week) to Joshua’s alarm clock going off in the next room over (Jeonghan sleeps like the dead, beside him). He has thought about telling Joshua about his alarm; how it’s too loud and how no one is still listening to Jesse McCartney in 2016 (and “Body Language” beats out “Beautiful Soul” any day). But he kind of likes waking up with Joshua and listening to him go about his morning routine. 

 

Is that weird? It’s probably weird. Maybe he should ask Jeonghan about it. No, not Jeonghan. Definitely not Jeonghan. Maybe Mingyu or Jihoon. 

 

Seungcheol grabs Jeonghan’s flapping hand and brings it to his lips for a quick kiss. “Sorry babe.” 

 

Jeonghan rolls over (mindful of Seungcheol’s leg that was propped up on no less than four pillows—he’s also positive the pillows came from Joshua’s room) and nestles his face into the crook of Seungcheol’s neck.

 

“Go back to sleep,” he whispers, disturbing the sensitive skin underneath Seungcheol’s ear. 

 

Seungcheol thinks about Joshua waking up extra early so that he can fix his friends something to eat. He thinks about Joshua coming home _exhausted_ but making him dinner and talking with him for hours until Jeonghan comes home. He thinks about the first time he met Joshua. Shy, timid, but possessing the prettiest brown eyes Seungcheol has ever seen to this day. He thinks about Jeonghan telling him, “Yeah Joshie and I had a thing way back in college. Sorta, it was a fling, ya know? But then I met you so the rest is history.” He thinks about the time he asked Joshua about it. “Oh don’t worry about it man! It’s over, I’m not gonna try to steal Jeonghan away from ya. He’s head over heels for you.” 

 

Then Seungcheol thinks about the possibility that he might not only have feelings for his boyfriend, but his boyfriend’s best friend as well. 

 

He doesn’t fall back asleep.

 

☀

 

It’s been two and a half weeks and Seungcheol is technically well enough to live on his own. But Jeonghan and Joshua don’t want to hear it. So he’s been suffering silently within himself about his dilemma and it only gets worse every time Joshua smiles at him or every time Jeonghan kisses his cheek or every time Joshua causally brushes against him or every time Jeonghan leaves a lewd sticky note on Seungcheol’s forehead when he’s napping. 

 

The rising stress finally reaches its tipping point in Seungcheol and he leaves the apartment for the first time since his surgery, crutches over to nearest Starbucks and plants himself at a table after ordering something that had more middle names than his college roommate. 

 

After a couple sips he finds himself making a list. 

 

_Things I love about Joshua…_

 

Seungcheol chews on the cap of his pen and tries to organize his thoughts. He nervously looks over his shoulder at the other occupiers in the shop as if they’re going to notify Jeonghan of his betrayal. 

 

He spends an hour listing everything from his physical appearance ( _his eyes, his_  eye-lashes _, his curly cat smile, his bony wrists, the mole on the back of his left shoulder that looks kind of like the batman symbol…_ ) to his personality ( _hardworking, like HARD-hardworking, diligent, kind (even to that awful old lady who flipped us off after swerving into us on the freeway on our way to Jeonghan’s office), quiet (but quiet cuz he doesn’t_  need _to say anything rather than because he doesn’t want to), funny (in a way that elicits a lot of secondhand embarrassment)…_ ) to his idiosyncrasies that Seungcheol finds adorable ( _he listens to ABBA…like a lot…like a lot,_ a lot _, he puts his seatbelt on before even starting his car, he covers his mouth when he laughs, he talks to himself when he thinks no one can hear him, he meows back to the cat…_ ). 

 

That’s the long list. The short list is this: 

 

_-Everything_

_-…fuck_

 

Seungcheol looks around. The original people who had settled around him when he first arrived have been replaced by new faces. His coffee is lukewarm, but he sips from it anyway (never one to waste money). He looks back down at his notebook and writes: 

 

_Things I love about Jeonghan…_

 

Almost another hour goes by. 

 

_I love how unconventionally funny he is, how he can get me to laugh without even trying. I love how he lets me protect him. I love how he’s always around to talk me down when I get too high strung or too hot-headed—he never let’s my head get bigger than his. I love how he can remember anything and everything (even if he plays dumb half of the time). How he remembers our anniversaries, my birthday, the time we first held hands, the time we went to the beach and the wind blew away our towels so the next time we went he reminded me to put rocks down on the corners of our towels. I love how hard he works at things he’s passionate about. I love how he’s very vocal about his needs and wants. I love how he feels in my arms. I love kissing him. I love it when he—_

 

Seungcheol looks over at the toddler in a booster seat a couple of feet away from him. _Better end it there…_

 

Seungcheol reviews all that he has written and comes to one conclusion. 

 

He is fucked. 

 

☀

 

“You’re fucked hyung.” Jihoon is stirring the ice around in his water glass with the thin black straw the waiter dropped off. His tone is flat and his eyes unsympathetic. Classic Jihoon so Seungcheol shouldn’t be surprised, but he puts on a pouty face anyways. 

 

“I didn’t invite you out of your cave so you could tell me what I already know!” Seungcheol shoves another biscuit into his mouth. Great! He’s stress eating.

 

“Sorry hyung, but Jihoon-hyung is right.” Mingyu is sitting to Seungcheol’s right, buttering his own biscuit and checking the messages that keep popping up on his phone’s lockscreen. He smiles and clicks the lock button to blacken the screen. 

 

“I need advice guys! Do I break up with Jeonghan? Or try to get over my feelings for Joshua?” 

 

In a fit of panic, Seungcheol had texted both Jihoon and Mingyu after almost having an aneurism while reviewing his lists over and over and over and over again. Jihoon took some prompting to get out of his den (“C’mon Jihoonie, free food!…Ahh yes, and I will not call you Jihoonie ever again.”), but Mingyu was eager to join them (Seungcheol didn’t know if it was the offer of buying him his favorite meal that enticed him more or the desire to help out a friend). 

 

So here they sit, outside of a gross seafood joint that Seungcheol can’t stand but that Mingyu adores, with Seungcheol in the middle of a panic attack. He just finished baring his soul to his friends and expected them to launch into some kind of speech that would offer him the perfect solution to his problems. But instead they are giving him nothing. 

 

“So let me get this straight,” Jihoon says, running his fingers up and down his glass, collecting the condensation and wiping it on his pant leg, “You’re still in love with Jeonghan—”

 

Seungcheol nods, “Yes! Yes, definitely! Always.” 

 

“—Right, but you’re also in love with Joshua.” 

 

Seungcheol sinks a little in his chair, “…yeah…does that make me a bad person?” 

 

“I don’t think so! I love you and Wonwoo! Even Jihoon!” Mingyu says around his mouthful of bread.

 

“He means romantically you giant,” Jihoon spits, dodging the crumbs Mingyu is spraying out of his mouth.

 

“Oh…” Mingyu seems to deflate. He cocks his head to the side and swallows, looking thoughtful. “In that case, I only love Wonwoo.” 

 

“We know. You only talk about it everyday.”

 

Mingyu beams, missing the backhanded insult and crams the other half of his biscuit in his mouth. “I still think it’s fine hyung! There’s nothing wrong with loving two people! The more the merrier as they say!”

 

Seungcheol blinks, a little astonished by Mingyu’s simpleminded approach. “Yeah, but…isn’t that like…unfair to them? What if Jeonghan gets jealous? What if Joshua is uncomfortable?”

 

“I’m hearing a lot of ‘what if’s here,” Jihoon snaps, he slaps Mingyu’s hand right as he’s about to reach for another biscuit, “Stop it, you’re gonna ruin your appetite.” 

 

“What do you mean?” Seungcheol asks. 

 

“I _mean_ hyung, that this is all just you speculating. You haven’t actually talked to either one of them about these feelings.”

 

“Well yeah…’cause it’s awkward…and I don’t want to do anything that would make them uncomfortable.” _Or hate me._

 

Jihoon rolls his eyes, “Listen hyung, it’s pointless to worry about this until you talk to them. Or at least Jeonghan. If this issue is going as far as keeping you awake at night and asking _me_ and this germ giant—” “Hey!” “—for help. Then something needs to be done. You need to _get off your ass_ and do something about it.” 

 

“Still I—!” 

 

“Have you heard about the battle of Waterloo?” Mingyu interrupts. He’s looking over Jihoon’s shoulder at a baby a couple tables away. He waves, grinning when he gets a smile in return. 

 

It takes Seungcheol a moment to realize that he’s directed his question towards him. 

 

“Uhhh no, not really? Just the ABBA song…” 

 

“Here we go,” Jihoon moans, dropping his head to the table. 

 

“I just took a test on it in my European History class. Got a B, but Professor Ling is kind of a shithead,” Mingyu shrugs and Seungcheol is not really sure where this is going, “It’s kinda interesting, mostly boring. So basically the French—under Napoleon,—an Anglo army and some Prussians all get into a fight ‘cause Napoleon was trying to conquer a bunch of shit—”

 

“I’m actually surprised you even got a B,” Jihoon mumbles. 

 

“Hush, I’m paraphrasing. So they all fought at a place near Waterloo, hence the name, The Battle of Waterloo, and after the battle was over and the French were defeated and Napoleon was no longer Emperor of France the people entered into a time of relative peace that lasted like…decades!” 

 

Jihoon rubs his temples, “Your point Mingyu.” 

 

“Oh! Right. So basically what I’m saying here is that it’s gonna be hard hyung. You guys might even fight and shit, but in the end Europe was at peace!” Mingyu grins at him as if he had just made perfect sense. 

 

Seungcheol looks over at Jihoon helplessly. 

 

“ _What he means_ is,” Jihoon sighs, “is that you need to go through hard shit in order to come to a time of peace. Talk to Jeonghan, Seungcheol, even if it’s hard, explain your feelings and maybe you guys will be able to figure something out and all three of you can come to some kind of agreement or whatever.” 

 

Seungcheol looks down into his water glass so he doesn’t have to look at either of them in the eye. It’s silent for a beat (except for Mingyu’s noisy chewing). “What do I even say?” 

 

“ _Hey Jeonghan, kinda wanna fuck your friend, but still wanna fuck you too,_ how’s that?” Jihoon replies, going back to stirring his drink.

 

“Hyung! Don’t be awful!” Mingyu reprimands before he turns to Seungcheol, puppy dog eyes open wide in earnest, “just be honest hyung! Tell Jeonghan that you love him very, very much and you want to stay with him for forever. But that you’re also experiencing feelings for Joshua too!” 

 

Seungcheol watches a drop of water run down the side of Jihoon’s cup before splashing onto the table. He looks up at Jihoon and smiles slightly, “Okay…I’ll tell him.” 

 

☀

 

“Oh. Cool.” Jeonghan goes back to flipping channels on the T.V. as if Seungcheol had not just confessed the secret that had been eating him alive for almost 3 weeks. 

 

“Wait, what?” 

 

It’s the day after Seungcheol had talked with Jihoon and Mingyu and he had woken up with the determination to tell Jeonghan his feelings (and maybe later Joshua too, depending on how things with Jeonghan went first). He’s had no less than twenty-seven text messages from Mingyu all of them either short words of encouragement or a pictures of kittens (“Look hyung! Be inspired by this kitty!”). He had showered, iced his leg, cleaned up around the apartment while he waited for Jeonghan to wake up. Today had been the perfect day to confess. It was the weekend so Jeonghan had the day off and Joshua was out with his friend Junhai at some car show that Joshua had confessed that he could care less about, but was happy to be there for his friend. 

 

After making Jeonghan breakfast in bed, partaking in an intense make-out session (that Seungcheol kept from going any further), and moving them over to the couch so that he could have Jeonghan distracted by the TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress for as long as it took Seungcheol to find his courage, Seungcheol had confessed.

 

He had been a stuttering mess, spouting nonsense about the battle of Waterloo and Joshua’s back mole and his gross love for Jeonghan. And for a moment he isn’t sure Jeonghan heard him correctly. ( _He couldn’t have, right? There’s no way he’d be that chill!_ ) So he tries again.

 

“I said I think I’m in love with Joshua.” 

 

Jeonghan looks over at him, finger paused over the “next channel” button on the remote, “I noticed.” 

 

“You _noticed?_ " 

 

Jeonghan laughs, though not unkindly, “Yeah Seungcheol, you're pretty obvious with your puppy dog eyes! How do you think I noticed you falling for me? You’re about as inconspicuous as a boner.” 

 

“But I—you never—what about—?” 

 

Jeonghan leans over and pecks the side of Seungcheol’s mouth as he stutters away, “It doesn’t bother me. I’m kind of in love with him myself ya know?” 

 

_Wait, what?_

 

“Wait, what?” Seungcheol squeaks

 

Jeonghan laughs again, mouth open wide and shoulders shaking, “God, you’re adorable.” 

 

The front door rattles, the sign that someone is jiggling their key into the lock.

 

“Oh that must be Joshie now, want me to tell him the news?”

 

“What? No! What? What news?” Seungcheol panics grabbing Jeonghan’s waist and pulling him underneath him, slamming a pillow into his face to keep him quiet. Jeonghan struggles against his weight, smacking him uselessly with his balled up fists. 

 

Joshua walks through the door and freezes when he catches sight of Seungcheol and Jeonghan wrestling on the couch. 

 

“Oh. Uh…sorry. I can go if…?” He points to the door, already on his way to exit. 

 

Jeonghan plays dirty and kicks Seungcheol’s bad leg, successfully sliping free when Seungcheol hisses and reaches down. 

 

“Joshua!” He shrieks, hair a mess and a big smile stretched across his face.

 

“Err what?” 

 

“Jeonghan I swear to god!” 

 

“Seungcheol has got the hots for you!” 

 

It’s silent for a moment. Everyone is frozen. Jeonghan and Seungcheol in anticipation and Joshua in something that’s equal parts shock and dubiousness. 

 

“Is this a joke or…?”

 

“Well his exact words were ‘Jeonghan, I’m in love with Joshua.’ So I guess it’s less of the hots and more of the kissy-kissy kind of love!” Jeonghan replies happily from his spot on the couch.

 

Joshua looks from Jeonghan to Seungcheol and Seungcheol remains frozen. 

 

“Is that true?” Joshua asks softly, very softly. 

 

“…yes,” Seungcheol replies after a beat, just as softly.

 

“Oh…okay.” 

 

Seungcheol’s head is spinning again. “What is going on? What is with you two? Why are you both so chill?” 

 

“I—” Joshua begins. But Jeonghan interrupts him, cat-like smile on his face.

 

“He’s been dying inside for a whole year cuz he’s had a big ol’ gay crush on you!”

 

“Han!” Joshua shrieks. 

 

“Oh…” Seungcheol tears his eyes away from Jeonghan’s pleased grin to look at Joshua’s red face. “…neat.” 

 

Jeonghan rolls his eyes, fixing his hair and getting off the couch, “Yeah ‘neat’. Joshie and I were actually gonna talk to you about it soon, but looks like you beat us to it,” he winks down at Seungcheol who hasn’t looked away from Joshua, “good job babe.” 

 

“Oh,” Seungcheol says again dumbly. 

 

Another eye roll from Jeonghan this time accompanied with a sigh. “Jesus Cheollie, chill. It’s all good. We’re all in love with each other! Great! Now kiss and join me in the bedroom!” He leans down and presses a soft peck to Seungcheol’s unresponsive lips and leaves a similar kiss on Joshua’s equally dead mouth before sashaying out of the room and into his bedroom. 

 

“You’ve…had a crush on me?” Seungcheol asks, sitting up on the couch. 

 

Joshua blushes a deeper scarlet, “Yeah…so, you’re in love with me?” 

 

“Yeah…” 

 

“Cool.”

 

“Cool.” 

 

“Can I…I don’t know…kiss you?” 

 

 

Joshua laughs at that. A beautiful, clear laugh that wipes away any doubt that previously resided in Seungcheol’s heart and Seungcheol feels himself fall for this boy even deeper. 

 

“Yeah of course!” 

 

“Can you come here then? Jeonghan kinda punched my leg and I can’t really move right now,” Seungcheol mumbles sheepishly. 

 

Joshua chuckles again as he makes his way to the couch, tossing his keys on the coffee table before sitting down in front of Seungcheol. 

 

“Um…?” Seungcheol puts his hands on Joshua’s neck, tucking his fingers into the hair at the nape and thumbing at the baby hairs in front of his ears. Joshua’s neck is warm from the blood that has colored his complexion pink and they both just kinda stare at each other for a moment. 

 

“Go on,” Joshua prompts, a slight grin on his face. His eyelids get heavy and he presses his face a little closer to Seungcheol.

 

So Seungcheol leans in and kisses this impossibility. 

 

His first thought is “Wow” quickly followed by his second thought that this is nothing like kissing Jeonghan. Jeonghan usually led their kisses, he was insistent and bossy and domineering, but Seungcheol adores it. Joshua is completely different. 

 

Joshua is pliant and soft, but just as needy and just as sweet. He makes a little noise in the back of his throat, a little squeak and Seungcheol pushes forward, wanting to hear it again. 

 

Joshua brings his hands up to Seungcheol’s jaw and cups his face in his long fingers, giggling when Seungcheol nibbles a little on his bottom lip. 

 

“I—” Joshua murmurs somewhere between their third and fourth kiss, “I really like you.”

 

Seungcheol pulls back, “I think I might be in love with you…is that okay?” 

 

Joshua laughs, pecking Seungcheol’s nose. “Yeah, that’s cool.” 

 

“And I love you both! Now can you please get in here! I’m lonely and I want kisses too!” Jeonghan yells from the bedroom. Something thumps against the wall and the cat comes running out and into the kitchen to hide in the space behind the trashcan and the wall. 

 

Joshua chuckles, helping Seungcheol up from the couch and wrapping an arm around his waist to support him. 

 

“God he’s such a brat,” Seungcheol swears. 

 

“But we love him.” 

 

Seungcheol smiles down at Joshua. “Yeah…we do.” 

 

☀

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> and in the wise words of GoldenBeaux: "and they all lived happily gay after"


End file.
